China says to US ‘stop blackmailing’

(MENAFN) China has urged the United States to stop using threats and pressure tactics if it genuinely seeks to resolve the intensifying trade conflict through dialogue. Beijing emphasized that it will continue defending its interests against Washington’s growing economic pressure.

The statement follows a series of escalating tariff exchanges between the two nations over the past two months. The US recently raised cumulative tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%, and warned this week that they could reach as high as 245%. The White House also claimed that the next move lies with Beijing.

“If the United States truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue, it must abandon its extreme pressure tactics and stop threatening and blackmailing China,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday.

Lin reaffirmed that the US initiated the trade war, and that China’s countermeasures are aimed at defending its lawful rights.

In response to Washington’s tariff hikes, China has raised tariffs on all US imports to 125%, restricted exports of key rare-earth materials used in technology and defense, and instructed Chinese airlines to stop purchasing Boeing aircraft and parts, according to Bloomberg.

President Donald Trump recently claimed that while China is eager to reach an agreement, “they just don't know how to go about it.”

Despite the escalating tensions, Chinese officials have reiterated that they remain open to negotiations—so long as they are grounded in mutual respect. The Ministry of Commerce last week dismissed the US’s repeated tariff hikes as a meaningless “numbers game,” and pledged to continue pushing back as needed.

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